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ALBANY — Parents, children, seniors, students and teachers gathered at the Albany Civic Center Saturday morning to honor the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington For Jobs and Freedom.

They dressed in Greek letters and colorful community organization shirts, which contained messages like “My black vote matters.” All except Frank Wilson, the event organizer and prominent Albany community leader, who stood out in a purple and yellow suit. His appearance reflected the attendees of the 1963 gathering. He wanted to make sure of that.

Saturday was heavy with heat, but so were the summers of 1961 and 1962 when the Albany Civil Rights Movement conducted marches and peaceful protests.

Twelve weeks of preparation hosted by Wilson went into the celebration, which saw about 200 attendees. The event followed a program, which closely followed the original March on Washington that took place in Washington, D.C. It featured remarks from community leaders like Wilson, Albany Mayor Bo Dorough, Sherrell Byrd from SOWEGA Rising, Clennon King, an award-winning film director, and Shirley Sherrod of New Communities Inc., an organization dedicated to empowering the black community throughout southwest Georgia.

Historical speeches like Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech were re-enacted, and the Freedom Singers and Ida Carr-Austin performed songs that had provided the backbeat for the movement.

Dorough presented keys to the city to special guests BernNadette Stanis, an actress and motivational speaker, as well as Carr-Austin, a gospel recording artist who offered Mahalia Jackson’s “How We Got Over.”

The group marched from the Civic Center to Shiloh Baptist Church, where the Albany Civil Rights Movement began.

The crowd belted out “ain’t nobody gonna let nobody turn me round” and “this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” Neighbors cracked doors to peer out and listen.

Gospel music was significant for the Albany Movement, which began in 1961. Rutha Mae Harris, one of the original Freedom Singers, belted the National Anthem for attendees. Her powerful voice filled the nave of Shiloh Baptist Church, which Wilson said opened its doors so the attendees could shelter from the heat.

Byrd, who helped organize the celebration as well as lead marchers in chants, was born and raised in Albany. She grew up not understanding the magnitude of Albany’s movement, she said. It was not prominent in her education.

“It wasn’t until I became an adult that I learned about the great men and women that were walking among me as a child that were the architects of the local movement,” Byrd said.

King had Laurie Pritchett, who was Albany’s police chief at the time, working diligently against him. Hundreds of marchers, including King, were arrested. King wasn’t prepared for this and was out-strategized. He left Albany feeling like success wasn’t achieved.

“The misperception is that Dr. King failed, so that in turn means Albany somehow failed, and that’s not the case,” Byrd said. “He built a lot of his strategy for all the rest of the Civil Rights Movement nationally from right here in Albany.”

King was able to then strategize in Montgomery based on what he learned in Albany, she said.

“Without Albany, there would have been no Montgomery, there would have been no March on Washington,” Wilson said.

Jalyn Eady, a 24-year-old Albany State University student, attended the march with her mom. Already at the beginning of the event, she said she felt inspired and eager to learn about and re-enact such a significant moment in history.

Eady said she hoped to learn more about the March on Washington, the Albany Movement and why King felt moved to come to the place where she grew up.

“It’s shedding light on the importance for change within the black community,” Eady said.

Many Albany State students from Greek life organizations participated in the march.

Anthony Morman, Albany State’s Director of Greek Life, also attended and rewarded students who did so.

“It’s so important because of the legacy of the Albany Movement,” he said. ”Greek organizations played a huge role in the movement, and it’s imperative we recognize it.”

People traveled from across the country to attend the celebration. That shows how far people are willing to go to celebrate their history if we make sure that it’s recognized, Byrd said. Her speech focused on the women of the Albany Movement, who she said were often unrecognized for the work that they did behind the scenes.

“We would not have a Dr. King if there was not a Corretta Scott King back at home supporting him,” Byrd said. “We won’t ever really hear their names unless we say them,”

So, on Saturday she did, and she encouraged the audience to shout the names of important black female figures as well.

Corretta Scott King, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Mae Harris and Bernice Johnson Reagon were just a few of the names she recited.

While one focus of the event was celebrating history, it wasn’t the only focus. The event shone a light on the work that still needs to be done, Wilson said.

The Rev. Francys Johnson, representing the New Georgia Project, gave a speech to inspire the people who filled Shiloh Baptist Church Saturday.

Learn, unlearn and relearn, he said. The audience repeated the words back to him.

Learn about white supremacy, he said. Unlearn dangerous narratives like the idea that voting is not important, he said. Unlearn the belief that black women can’t be in positions of power, he said. Relearn that trouble doesn’t always last, he said. Relearn the principles and values that got us to where we are, he said.

“It may be dark right now for those fighting for affirmative action … for voting rights … for liberty and freedom and justice,” he said. “But somewhere out there when it was real dark … God said ‘Let there be light.’”

By the end of Johnson’s speech, the room was filled with cheers, clapping and raised fists.

Byrd said she hopes people left Saturday’s event feeling empowered as well as a sense of urgency that the work is not yet finished. Today, Americans are still fighting to raise the minimum wage, be provided adequate housing, against voter suppression and for more jobs.

“I hope it comes across that there is still work to be done,” she said. “Sixty years later, there is still unfinished business.”

Staff Photo: Lucille LanniganStaff Photo: Lucille Lannigan